blog - metro detroit real estate

Michigan Cities Push for $800M Housing Incentives to Address Affordable Housing Crisis

Could an $800 million plan to boost housing be the answer to Metro Detroit’s affordable housing woes? A growing coalition of Michigan cities and lawmakers think it’s a big step in the right direction. Faced with a shortage of homes and rising costs, they’re backing a proposal to invest $160 million per year for five years to spur new construction and rehab old properties. Officials estimate this could create 10,000 new or revitalized homes over five years, about 2,000 units a year, helping ease the crunch for families across the state. It’s an ambitious, locally driven approach designed to tackle Michigan’s housing crisis without heavy-handed mandates. Instead, the plan would use incentives and partnerships to encourage communities to loosen zoning rules…

924 Views, 0 Comments

Detroit Leads the Way with Autonomous Urban Maintenance Robots

Imagine walking down a Detroit street and seeing a robot trimming the grass or a self-driving machine picking up litter. What sounds like a scene from a futuristic movie is actually happening today in the Motor City. Across Detroit, autonomous robots are roaming around doing the “dirty work”, mowing lawns, clearing snow, collecting trash, all in an effort to keep the city cleaner and safer. It’s a high-tech twist on basic city services, and it’s being embraced by local officials and residents alike. Detroit, long famed as the cradle of the automotive industry, is now pioneering a new kind of innovation: autonomous urban maintenance. In a city known for grit and ingenuity, these robots are more than just gadgets, they’re part of a broader strategy to…

902 Views, 0 Comments

Joe Louis Arena Site Redevelopment to Transform Detroit People Mover Station

The spot where Detroiters once cheered on the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena is buzzing again, this time with construction cranes and a bold vision for the city’s future. The former Joe Louis Arena site on downtown Detroit’s west riverfront is being reborn as “Water Square,” a new mixed-use development that’s bringing luxury apartments, a high-end hotel, and a revitalized public transit hub to the banks of the Detroit River. In the process, it’s also creating a much-needed pedestrian-friendly corridor reconnecting downtown to the award-winning Detroit Riverwalk. The transformation promises to make this corner of the city a vibrant destination for residents and visitors alike, blending Detroit’s rich history with its forward-looking renaissance.

The…

597 Views, 0 Comments

Detroit Median Home Price Tops $100,000 for First Time After 32.6% June Surge

Detroit just hit a housing milestone that would have been unthinkable a decade ago: the median home sale price in the city has climbed into the six figures. In June 2025, the typical Detroit house sold for over $100,000, the first time ever values have reached that benchmark. That price is roughly one-third higher than it was a year earlier, reflecting a dramatic 32%+ surge in values this past June alone. For a city long known for ultra-affordable real estate, crossing the $100K mark is a big deal. It signals a new chapter in Detroit’s ongoing comeback and has plenty of locals scratching their heads (and checking their home equity).

In this article, we’ll break down why Motor City home prices are rising so fast, what’s happening in different…

1642 Views, 0 Comments

Michigan Property Tax Explained: What Every Homeowner Should Know

Picture two Metro Detroit houses listed at $150,000 each. Now imagine one will cost you over $4,000 more per year in taxes than the other, all because of the community it’s in. It’s a real scenario in Michigan. Many first-time buyers focus on sale price and interest rates, only to be caught off guard by how property taxes drive up their monthly mortgage payments. In fact, Michigan consistently ranks high in property tax rates (average effective rate ~1.35%, well above the U.S. average). Understanding how Michigan’s property taxes work isn’t just dull number-crunching, it’s essential knowledge that can save you from nasty surprises and help you budget smartly for your dream home. Let’s break down the basics of property taxes in Michigan, with a friendly…

5234 Views, 0 Comments

Northville Court Orders Streets Reopened After Controversial Closures

For the first time since 2020, cars will soon be rolling down Main Street and Center Street in downtown Northville, Michigan, again. This change isn’t just a routine traffic update; it’s the result of a heated local debate that pitted the charm of pedestrian plazas against concerns about business access and neighborhood safety. In early July 2025, a Wayne County judge ruled that Northville’s seasonal street closures were illegal and ordered the city to reopen these streets to vehicles within seven days. The ruling has quickly become the talk of the town, leaving many Northville residents and business owners wondering: What happens next? This article breaks down how we got here, how locals are reacting, and what this decision could mean for Northville’s…

889 Views, 0 Comments

Is It Smarter to Wait for a Recession Before You Buy or Sell a Home? What History, and Today’s Data, Really Says

You’ve seen the headlines everywhere: “Recession looming,” “Inflation uncertainty,” and “Mortgage rate volatility.” Conversations at work, at the local coffee shop, or even around the dinner table probably sound similar: “Maybe we should wait until the recession hits before making a real estate move.” It’s understandable. On paper, recessions seem like they should bring falling prices and lower interest rates, creating the perfect conditions to buy or prompting urgency to sell quickly before values decline.

But here's the truth from someone who’s been through multiple market cycles in Metro Detroit: real estate markets rarely behave exactly as expected. Instead of making emotional or speculative decisions based solely on the fear of recession,…

259 Views, 0 Comments

What 18 Silent Miles Taught Me About Leadership

Lately, work has been chaos in motion. Nonstop calls, agent training, listings, clients, marketing campaigns, content creation. I haven’t taken a full day off in what feels like months. And honestly, I love it. I’m wired for forward motion. But at some point, you realize: when every hour is filled, there’s no room to think.

That’s not just a productivity issue, that’s a leadership problem.

A few months back, I picked up two books that hit me harder than expected: The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter, and The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham. One challenges you to chase discomfort on purpose. The other reminds you that the costliest mistakes in business come from thinking too little, not doing too little.

Both point to the same truth: most of…

419 Views, 0 Comments

Top Paint Colors That Help Homes Sell Faster and for More in 2025

Could the color of your kitchen walls really put extra cash in your pocket? It might sound surprising, but choosing the right paint colors can actually help your home sell faster and even for a higher price. Recent research suggests buyers may offer up to $2,600 more for a home with on-trend paint colors on the walls. Gone are the days when every Metro Detroit house on the block had the same plain white walls. Today’s homebuyers, from Rochester to River Rouge, are falling in love with richer, nature-inspired hues that make a house feel like a home the moment they step inside.

Metro Detroit’s top real estate experts agree that first impressions matter. The right splash of color can create a warm, inviting atmosphere that helps buyers emotionally connect…

3451 Views, 0 Comments

Why Michigan is the Best State for Affordable Starter Homes

For first-time homebuyers, Michigan is a rare gem – one of the few places in America where owning a home still feels within reach on a modest income. From Detroit’s urban revival to the charming small towns by the Great Lakes, the Mitten State offers an array of entry points for buyers on a budget. But with home prices and interest rates rising nationwide, how affordable is buying a starter home in Michigan today? This article explores why Michigan stands out for affordable starter homes, which cities offer the best deals (and which are tougher), and what new buyers should know as they embark on the journey to homeownership in Metro Detroit and beyond.

Michigan Is an Affordable Haven for First-Time Buyers

Michigan has emerged as one of the most…

450 Views, 0 Comments